Container for medicinal tablets



IJuly 21, 1936.

F. J. OBRIEN CONTAINER FOR MEDICINAL TABLETS Filed Aug. 26, 1932 V 775'; i E i' ijf e i gmc/who@ ITC/QQ Patented July 2l, 1936 PATENToil-"FICE CONTAINER FOR MEDICINAL TABLETS` Frank J. OBrien, New York, N.Y., assigner to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application August 26, 1932, Serial No. 630,604

1 Claim.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in a container formedicinal tablets.

An object of the invention is to provide a container having acover-controlled discharge opening for a single tablet, with means fordirecting and alining the tablets one at a time beneath said opening.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a plan view of a container embodying theimprovements;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the medicinal tablets;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified form of container;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 'I--1 of Fig. 5.

The invention has to do with a container for marketing medicinaltablets, such for example, as aspirin tablets. The container includes abody portion and a closure therefor in which the tablets are placed. Thecontainer is especially adapted for tablets which are cylindrical inshape, and which are relatively flat. The container is rectangular inshape and has rounded corners corresponding to the curvature of thetablets. In one corner of the container closure is an opening ofsuicient size to permit one tablet to freely pass therethrough. There isa cover slide for closing this opening. There is means within thecontainer for insuring that only one tablet at a time can be placedbeneath the opening so that when the opening is uncovered, one tabletonly will be dispensed or discharged therethrough.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the container consists of abody portion I having side and end walls 2 which are preferably formedintegral therewith. The container also includes a closure 3 for the bodyportion. As shown, the closure has an integral depending flange 4 whichslips over the body portion, and snap lugs 5, 5 may be used for holdingthe closure firmly on the body portion. Other ways may be used forjoining the closure to the body portion, but it is desired that theclosure when in closed position shall be firmly secured to the bodyportion, as it is not intended to remove the closure in order to gainaccess to the tablets within the container.

In Fig. 4 of the drawing, there is shown in perspective a medicinaltablet which is to be (Cl. G-42) marketed in the container. Said tabletis circular in cross section, and has flat end walls 6, 6 constitutingthe flat cylindrical tablet. The body portion of the container isrectangular in cross section andHis provided with rounded corners 'I Y 5which are curved to conform to the circular cross sectional shape of themedicinal tablet. These corners, however, may be otherwise shaped.

Located in one of the walls of the container and preferably in theclosure, is an opening 8 10 which is slightly larger in diameter thanthe diameter of the medicinal tablet, so that the medicinal tablet canfreely pass through the opening. The opening is closed by a cover slide9.

The cover has three openings I0, Illa and Illb. 15 The metal cut out informing the openings IIJa and IBb is bent downwardly so as to formflanges II underlying the cover slide 9. This forms a trackway on whichthe slide may be moved. The cover has a raised portion I 2 extending upthrough the opening which serves as a handle for sliding the cover.These flanges have sufficient frictional grip on the cover so as to holdthe cover in a set position. When one desires to obtain a tablet fromthe container, the cover slide is moved so as to uncover the opening,and the container is then turned with the opening facing downward sothat a tablet will fall through the opening.

In order to insure that only one tablet shall be properly alined beneaththe opening to fall therethrough, the bottom wall I of the container isprovided with a raised portion I3. This raised portion I3, as shown, issubstantially U-shaped, having the inner end thereof curved. This raisedportion extends only a slight distance up into the container, but asui'licient distance so that one tablet cannot slide over the top of theraised portion. It is also so dimensioned and positioned relative to theopening 8 that only one tablet can slide along the edge of the raisedportion and beneath the opening 8. This insures that the tablets in thecontainer, when the container is turned on edge with the opening at thelowermost point, will roll down beneath the opening and place one tabletonly beneath the opening, so that when the container is inverted ortilted, the tablet will drop through the opening.

In Fig. 5 of the drawing, a container of a similar shape andconstruction is'shown, and the same reference letters have been appliedthereto. In this form of the container, however, the bottom wall I isprovided with a very shallow depression I4, and secured in saiddepression I4 is a shell or cup I5. This shell or cup I5 is ofsubstantially the same dimensions as one of the 1 tablets. Itis securedin the depression either by Welding or any other suitable way. The shellis so positioned, that the side thereof is underneath `the edge of theopening 8 so that the shell will insure that only one tabletwill beplaced directly V Ying one tablet only beneath theV opening, and thatthis maybe Vaccomplished by the shaping olf theV container.: Theessential features ofr'the inVen-gf;l

" fone medicinal tablet attaV time, means for xedly r Ysecuringsaidclosure to said body portion, said tion consist inlthe provisionnoftheopening so disposed relative to the side'rwallsof the conture of the`invention resides in some means,

eitherin the construction of thercor'itainerfor'theV inserted partWithin the container whichoprat'es to insure that only onetablet atv atime can find Y 5x its way beneath the opening.

2 A l Y It is obvious that the container may be other- Wiseshapedl thanthatshovvn in thedrawingthe essential feature V'consisting in providingthe openingV and the means Within the container for positioning theYtablets beneath the opening. Other means Vmay be provided for'closlngthe opening; Y Y

Having thusV described the invention, what I claim as new and desirertosecure lby Letters Pat- A container for medicinal tablets, comprising` Ya body portion, aV closure therefor having an opening therethroughdimensioned so as Vto discharge opening being disposed relative to thebody por#V tion'` so that the side walls of therbody vportion f willcenter the Ymedicinal tablet beneath said opening, said closureincluding a member disposed AWithin'fthe container and slidably mountedthereonY for covering and uncovering the opening inYV the closure, saidlsliding member being operable from outsidethe containenfthebottomandend Walls of said body portion being bent inwardly at on'esideVofthe opening7 to provide a vertical Wall permitting only one tablet ata time to move beneathsaid opening. l l 'Y Y' L FRANK J. OBRIEN,

